The Middle School of Tomorrow. Chapter 15, The American Middle School: An Organizational Analysis.

Popper, Samuel H.

The future development of the middle school depends on its continued commitment to the social value of a differentiated early adolescent education and on its adoption of innovations aimed at the institutional integration of its values with a changing society. Flexibility of programs and self-concept development of adolescents are key middle school responsibilities. In the socialization process for this age group not one educator, but a family of educators in the persons of doctors, social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, and nurses are needed to perform auxiliary functions. Similarly, the use of "core technology complemented with the humanization of education are important in the middle school's success. Of all public school units the middle school is best equipped to accommodate built-in flexibility in curriculum design. General designs of school plants for future middle schools already exist; it is important that these designs be considered, for the middle school houses youth at the age where proper guidance could keep them from a life of delinquency. (HW)